Electric circuit breaker



Ma '23, 1933. w, UEBERMUTH ELECTRIC CIRCUIT BREAKER Filed Feb. 17

Invenbov: Werner Ueb ewmut h. flflwa/arwezap His Att omnqg.

Patented May 23, 1933 osrrca WERNER UEBERMUTH, OFBERLIN-OBERSGHONE'WEIDE, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY,A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK ELECTRIC CIRCUIT BREAKER App1ication filedFebruary 17, 1932, Serial No. 593,621, and in Germany February 24, 1931.

My invention relates to electric circuit breakers, more particularly tohigh tension switches of the fluid-break type employing apressure-confining chamber or explosion 5 pct within which arcing isextinguished.

The use of a conducting liquid, water for example, as an arcextinguishing m dium in high tension circuit breakers has been proposed.The type of circuit breaker in this case generally involves a containerfor the conducting liquid at the bottom of which a stationary contact ispositioned, and a movable rod contact which is withdrawn upwardly fromthe liquid into an air space during the circuit interrupting operation.Since the switch contacts in the open circuit position are thereforefurther separated by an air space the circuit breaker structure whenvertically arranged may be of consid- 0 erable overall height.

The object of my invention is the provision of an improved high tensioncircuit breaker of the aforesaid type which shall be simple, compact andrugged in construction.

My invention will be more fully set forth in the following descriptionreferring to the accompanying drawing, and the features of novelty whichcharacterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in theclaims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 is an elevational view, partly insection, of a high tension circuit breaker embodying my invention andFig. 2 is a view, partly in section, of structure shown in Fig. 1.

The fluid-break circuit interrupter shown by way of example comprises aso-called explosion pot 1 in the lower part of which is positioned astationary socket contact structure 2 arranged to be engaged by themovable contact rod 3 in vertical alinement therewith. The explosion pot1, comprising a pressure resisting metal casing open at its upperportion to receive the rod contact 3, is partly filled with an arcextinguishing liquid 4, as water, so that the rod con- I tact 3 may moveout of the arc extinguishing liquid after interruption of arcing.

F or the purpose of rigidly mounting the explosion pot there areprovided lateral supporting pillars 5 and 6 positioned at opposite sidesof the explosion pot and extend ing parallel to the longitudinal axisthereof. The pillars are mounted on suitable structure, the base member7, which in. y be made portable, if desired, as by the rollers t). 6comprise respectively the base insulators 9 and 10 on which are mountedthe intermediate metallic supporting members 11 and 12. These membersare provided with integral lateral suppo ing brackets 15 and 1%,respectively, suitably joined, as by a flanged connection, tocorresponding brackets 15 and 16 joined to the metallic explosion pot 1.The upper portions of the pil- The supporting pillars 5 and.

lars comprise the insulators 17 and 18 which support an arc shapedhousing structure 19 in which the movable rod contact 3 is guided forvertical reciprocal movement.

The operating mechanisms for the rod contact 3 may comprise the usualstraightline linkage 20 connected to the lever 21 and rod 22. The pillar5 is in the present instance hollow so as axially to receive the rod 22.The linkage 20 is pivoted to the structure 19, as at 23, and ispivotally con nected to the lever 21 and to the rod 3 at the points 24:and respectively so that rotation of the lever 21 produces substantiallystraight line vertical movement of the rod The actuating means maycomprise a main shaft 26 mounted in the base member 7 connected, as bybellcrank 27, to the operating rod. 22 and to a strong opening springgenerally indicated at 28. The open ing spring may be charged duringclosing of the switch so as to be released in a well kpown mannercausing high speed opening ()1. the switch.

he switch terminals in the present instance comprise the terminal lug29, which is electrically connected by way of the me tallic brackets andexplosion pot to the sta tionary contact 2, and the conductor stud 30which is suitably connected to the movable rod 3, as by a flexible lead(not shown). l; of course be understood that a polyphase arrangement maycomprise the above described single phase units mounted on a single basestructure.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 2, the 5 explosion pot 1 is providedwith an insulating lining 31 and an insulating baflie 32 provided with acentrally disposed aperture in alinement with the rod contact 3. As iswell known, the arc formed upon initial separation of the contactsgenerates pres sure within the surrounding liquid causing expulsion ofliquid upwardly through the aperture in the baifle and interrupting theare.

For the purpose of compensating loss of liquid due to evaporation, etc.,there is provided a reserve reservoir 33 containing additional liquidconnected to the explosion pot by a pipe 34, the outlet of which ispositioned slightly below the normal level of the liquid within theexplosion pot. The reserve reservoir may conveniently be disposed withinthe intermediate sup orting member 12 as illustrated in Fig. 1. oweringof the liquid level within the explosion pot so as to uncover the outletof the pipe 34 admits air to the reservoir 33 so that liquid flowstherefrom into the explosion pot until the normal level is restored. Ifdesired, a liquid level gauge 35 may be connected to the pipe 34 so thatthe liquid level within the explosion pot may be known at all times.

Since the operation of this type of switch often involves vibration ofthe structure due to the sudden generation of high pressures, the abovedescribed arrangement is particularly advantageous as the supportingpillars including the insulators extending approximately parallel to theaxis of the explosion pot are not subjected to bending stresses. Ceramicinsulating materials may therefore be used without danger. For thisreason switches of the above type may be readily employed for outdoorinstallations.

It should be understood that my invention is not limited to specificdetails of construction and arrangement thereof herein illustrated, andthat changes and modifications may occur to one skilled in the artwithout 60 departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim as new and deslre to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is: 1. A circuit interrupter of the fluid-break type comprisingsupporting pillars, an ex 55 plosion pot containing an arc extinguishingliquid mounted between and laterally supported by said pillars, anoperating linkage supported by said pillars, a contact rod operativelyconnected to said linkage guided for vertical movement so as to descendinto said explosion pot, and base structure including an actuating shaftand an opening spring operatively connected to said linkage by a rodextending vertically through 05 one of said pillars.

2. A circuit interrupter of the fluid-break type comprising a movablebase member provided with rollers, a pair of insulating pillars mountedon said base member, an explosion pot disposed between and supported bysaid pillars, a housing mounted on the upper portions of said pillars, acon-- tact rod guided within said housing and vertically movable tocoact with said explosion pot, operating mechanism for said contact rodcomprising an opening spring mounted on said base member, an actuatingrod 0})- eratively connected to said spring and vertically movablewithin and axially of one of said pillars, and a linkage interconnectingsaid actuating rod and contact rod mounted within said housing.

3. A circuit interrupter of the fluid-break type comprising a basemember, a pair of insulating pillars mounted on said member, each pillarcomprising an upper insulator, a lower insulator and an intermediatemetallic supporting member, one of said metallic supporting membersforming a switch terminal, a metallic explosion potcontaining an arcextinguishing liquid connected to and supported between saidintermediate members, a contact rod vertically movable between saidpillars so as to coact with said explosion pot, operating mechanism forsaid contact rod including a rod movable within and axially of one ofsaid pillars, and a liquid reservoir for said explosion pot mounted onthe other pillar and disposed within the intermediate member.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand,

WERNER UEBERMUTH.

